Well, you know Le Loup, I don't use decoys at the moment but today I got to thinking that if I really want to do anything other than merely enjoy the scenery when I'm out after pigeons then I'm probably going to have to start using them - and something in me rebels against the idea.

It's silly though - because it's pretty damn plain that the people who bag pigeons do use decoys and that not using them - nor indeed using a proper hide - means I'm setting myself up for a good deal of scenery enjoyment and little else.

Plus, I don't much like the idea of cluttering myself up with stuff when I leave the flat for the fields, either. Though of course I do like being cluttered up with game on the way back. I'll just have to bite the bullet I guess...

I was looking at the prices of decoys on Ebay this afternoon - but to be honest, I'd sooner whittle & paint them than buy them. This might well be a symptom of craziness in me though, I've got to say, rather than anything more sensible - it's not as though I fashioned the metal for my own rifle in a forge down the bottom of my garden or spend my evenings turning pellets on a tiny lathe?

If it helps, it took me ages to bag a pigeon but has been a great passion of mine since becoming addicted, far more challenging and tasty than rabbits.

Like you, I spent months trying to catch them in tree's due to a deep routed desire to not waist money on decoys (read tight wad!).

Looking at the photo, a couple of suggestions you've probably already thought of are -

1. Cover up... your hands, scope and gun where all out on show and an easy spot for pigeons. Gloves for your hands, scrim for your face and the leg from an old pair of camo combats, cut to fit over the gun, ankle drawstring at the mod end, with slits for the trigger etc will go along way to helping you hide better in the bushes.

2. Invest in a couple of full bodied decoys, a UV pen, a good length of fishing line or string and two tennis balls, total circa £10.00.

Draw a UV pen ring around the lower neck of the decoys and scribble flecks at random going down the decoy backs. Attach the decoys to one end of the fishing wire/string and a tennis ball to the other (length depends on next part). Then throw the ball over out lying branches of the tree and hoist the decoys up by the attached string. cheap lofters that work!

Simple but effective and very little extra to carry.

The sad part is the addiction that Pigeon shooting brings. The science of bringing them in, the challenge in shot placement and the ease of breasting/versatility of the meat in comparison to the chance nature of rabbits leaves you as focused as a heroin addict on pension day!

Many thanks to you for your very interesting comment. You're right of course, if you want to shoot pigeons properly you have to take it seriously, think about it and kit yourself out for the job. I've just been resisting doing this. Resisting things is the area of my special expertise, I think!